3-dimensional ultrasound image provision using volume slices in an ultrasound system

ABSTRACT

Embodiments for providing a plurality of 3-dimensional ultrasound images by using a plurality of volume slices in an ultrasound system are disclosed. The ultrasound system comprises: an ultrasound data acquisition unit configured to transmit and receive ultrasound signals to and from a target object to acquire ultrasound data; a volume data forming unit configured to form volume data by using the ultrasound data; a user input unit for allowing a user to input a user instruction; and a processing unit configured to set a plurality of volume slice regions having different widths in the volume data in response to the user instruction and form a plurality of 3-dimensional ultrasound images by using volume slices defined by the volume slice regions.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/727,019 filed on Mar. 18, 2010, which in turn claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0028281 filed on Apr. 1, 2009, the entire subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to ultrasound systems, and more particularly to an ultrasound system and method of providing a plurality of 3-dimensional ultrasound images using volume slices.

BACKGROUND

An ultrasound system has become an important and popular diagnostic tool since it has a wide range of applications. Specifically, due to its non-invasive and non-destructive nature, the ultrasound diagnostic system has been extensively used in the medical profession. Modem high-performance ultrasound diagnostic systems and techniques are commonly used to produce two or three-dimensional diagnostic images of internal features of an object (e.g., human organs).

Generally, the ultrasound system transmits ultrasound signals into a target object and receives echo signals reflected from the target object. The ultrasound system may form volume data consisting of a plurality of frames based on the received echo signals. Conventionally, the conventional ultrasound system sets one region of interest (ROI) on a plane image and forms a 3-dimensional ultrasound image corresponding to the ROI. Thus, when the undesirable 3-dimensional ultrasound image is formed, a user should reset the ROI.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of providing a plurality of 3-dimensional ultrasound images by using volume slices are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, by way of non-limiting example, an ultrasound system may include: an ultrasound data acquisition unit configured to transmit and receive ultrasound signals to and from a target object to acquire ultrasound data; a volume data forming unit configured to form volume data by using the ultrasound data; an user input unit for allowing a user to input a user instruction; and a processing unit configured to set a plurality of volume slice regions having different widths in the volume data in response to the user instruction and form a plurality of 3-dimensional ultrasound images by using volume slices defined by the volume slice regions.

In one embodiment, a method of providing a plurality of 3-dimensional ultrasound images, comprises: a) transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals to and from a target object to acquire ultrasound data; b) forming volume data comprising a plurality of sectional planes by using the ultrasound data; c) receiving a user instruction from a user; and d) setting a plurality of volume slice regions having different widths in the volume data in response to the user instruction and forming a plurality of 3-dimensional ultrasound images by using volume slices defined by the volume slice regions.

The Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an illustrative embodiment of an ultrasound system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an illustrative embodiment of an ultrasound data acquisition unit.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an illustrative embodiment of a processing unit.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of volume data.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing examples of an A plane image, a B plane image and a C plane image.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of setting a region of interest on A-C plane images and a plurality of volume slice regions on B and C plane images.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a layout having a plurality of display regions.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of indicating a reference plane image, an OH view and indices on a layout.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A detailed description may be provided with reference to the accompanying drawings. One of ordinary skill in the art may realize that the following description is illustrative only and is not in any way limiting. Other embodiments of the present invention may readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an illustrative embodiment of an ultrasound system. The ultrasound system 100 may include an ultrasound data acquisition unit 110. The ultrasound data acquisition unit 110 may be configured to transmit ultrasound signals to a target object and receive echo signals reflected from the target object. The ultrasound data acquisition unit 110 may be further configured to form ultrasound data based on the echo signals.

Referring to FIG. 2, the ultrasound data acquisition unit 110 may include a transmit (Tx) signal generating section 111. The Tx signal generating section 111 may be configured to generate Tx pulses and apply delays to the Tx pulses to form a Tx pattern thereof. The Tx pattern may be controlled according to an image mode such as a B-mode, an M-mode, a Doppler mode, etc.

The ultrasound data acquisition unit 110 may further include an ultrasound probe 112. The ultrasound probe 112 may contain a plurality of transducer elements 112 to receive the Tx pulses for conversion into ultrasound signals that may travel into the target object. The ultrasound probe 112 may receive ultrasound echo signals reflected from the target object and convert them into electrical receive signals, which may be analog signals. The ultrasound probe 112 may include a 3-dimensional probe, a 2-dimensional array probe or the like.

The ultrasound data acquisition unit 110 may further include a beam forming section 113. The beam forming section 113 may convert the electrical receive signals into digital signals and delay the digital signals in consideration of distances between the transducer elements and focal points. The beam forming section 113 may further sum the delay digital signals to form receive-focused signals.

The ultrasound data acquisition unit 110 may further include an ultrasound data forming section 114. The ultrasound data forming section 114 may be configured to form ultrasound data based on the receive-focused signals. The ultrasound data forming section 114 may be further configured to perform a variety of signal processing (e.g., gain adjustment, filtering, etc.) upon the receive-focused signals.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the ultrasound system 100 may further include a volume data forming unit 120. The volume data forming unit 120 may be configured to form volume data based on the ultrasound data. In one embodiment, the volume data may include a plurality of frames.

The ultrasound system 100 may further include a user input unit 130 allowing a user to input user instructions. In one embodiment, the user input unit 130 may include at least one of a control panel, a mouse, a keyboard and the like. The user instructions may include a first user instruction for setting a region of interest (ROI) on each of the plurality of frames and a second user instruction for selecting a reference plane from the volume data. The user instructions may further include a third user instruction for setting a plurality of volume slice regions to obtain volume slices having different depths (i.e., different widths) for forming a plurality of 3-dimensional ultrasound images based on the volume slices. That is, the plurality of volume slice regions represents a rendering range of different widths in the volume data. The user instruction may further include a fourth user instruction for setting a layout including a plurality of display regions to display the plurality of 3-dimensional ultrasound images. A detailed description of the reference plane, the volume slice regions, the volume slices and the layout will follow. The user instructions may further include a fifth user instruction for setting whether or not to indicate an image corresponding to the reference plane (hereinafter, referred to as a “reference plane image”) and an orientation help (OH) view, and also include a sixth user instruction for setting intervals between the plurality of volume slice regions. The user instructions may further include a seventh user instruction for setting a reference volume slice among the plurality of volume slices.

The ultrasound system 100 may include a processing unit 140. The processing unit 140 may be configured to set a plurality of volume slice regions on the reference plane image in response to the third user instruction. The processing unit 140 may be further configured to slice the volume data perpendicular to the volume slice regions to obtain the plurality of volume slices. The processing unit 140 may form a plurality of 3-dimensional ultrasound images by using the volume slices. In one embodiment, a central processing unit or a graphic processing unit may be adopted as the processing unit 140.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an illustrative embodiment of the processing unit 140. Referring to FIG. 3, the processing unit 140 may include a first image forming section 141. The first image forming section 141 may form a plurality of images corresponding to a plurality of planes, which are perpendicular to each other in the volume data (hereinafter, referred to as “plane images”). For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the first image forming section 141 may form frame images corresponding to an A plane, a B plane and a C plane set in the volume data 210, as show in FIG. 4. In one embodiment, the frame images corresponding to the A, B and C planes will be referred to as A, B and C plane images I_(A), I_(B) and I_(C).

The processing unit 140 may further include an ROI setting section 142. The ROI setting section 142 may be configured to set an ROI on each of the plane images in response to the first user instruction. For example, the ROI setting section 142 may set the ROI 310 on each of the A to C plane images I_(A)-I_(C), as illustrated in FIG. 6.

The processing unit 140 may further include a volume slice region setting section 143. The volume slice region setting section 143 may set a reference plane among the plurality of A, B and C planes in response to the second user instruction. For example, the reference plane may be a B plane or C plane. The volume slice region setting section 143 may further set a plurality of volume slice regions on a reference plane image to determine rendering ranges of different volume depths for forming a plurality of 3-dimensional ultrasound images in response to the third user instruction. For example, the volume slice region setting section 143 may set first to seventh volume slice regions 321-327 on the reference plane image (B plane image or C plane image), as illustrated in FIG. 6. In one embodiment, the direction of the volume depth may represent an axial direction, a lateral direction or an elevation direction according to the selected reference plane.

Although the above embodiment has been described that the second to fourth volume slice regions 322-324 are set on the left of the first volume slice 321 and the fifth to seventh volume slice regions 325-327 are set on the right of the first volume slice 321, the setting of the volume slice regions 321-327 may not be limited thereto. The number and position of the volume slice regions may be arbitrarily set according to the third user instruction.

Further, the volume slice region setting section 143 may further adjust intervals between the volume slice regions set on the reference plane image in response to the sixth user instruction. The volume slice region setting section 143 may be further configured to newly set a plurality of volume slice regions in response to the seventh user instruction. In one embodiment, if the seventh instruction for selecting a fourth 3-dimensional ultrasound image 3D₃₂₄ among 3-dimensional ultrasound images 3D₃₂₁-3D₃₂₇, which are shown in FIG. 8, is inputted, then the volume slice region setting section 143 may set the volume slice region corresponding to the fourth 3-dimensional ultrasound image 3D₃₂₄ as a new reference volume slice region. Further, the volume slice region setting section 143 may set new second to fourth volume slice regions on the left of the new reference volume slice region, as well as new fifth to seventh volume slice regions on the right of the new reference volume slice region.

In another embodiment, if the seventh instruction for selecting a second 3-dimensional ultrasound image 3D₃₂₂ among 3-dimensional ultrasound images 3D₃₂₁-3D₃₂₇ is inputted, then the volume slice region setting section 143 may set the volume slice region corresponding to the second 3-dimensional ultrasound image 3D₃₂₂ as a new reference volume slice region. Further, the volume slice region setting section 143 may set new second to fourth volume slice regions on the left of the new reference volume slice region, as well as new fifth to seventh volume slice regions on the right of the new reference volume slice region.

The processing unit 140 may further include a second image forming section 144. The second image forming section 144 may be configured to form 3-dimensional ultrasound images by using the ROIS and the volume slices.

The processing unit 140 may further include a layout setting section 145. The layout setting section 145 may set a layout having a plurality of display regions for displaying the plurality of 3-dimensional ultrasound image formed in the second image forming section 144 in response to the fourth user instruction. In one embodiment, if the fourth instruction for setting the layout is inputted, then the layout setting section 145 may set the layout having a size of 3×3, i.e., first to ninth display regions DR₁-DR₉, as illustrated in FIG. 7. Although the above embodiment has been described that the layout is set to have nine display regions, the layout may not be limited thereto. In one embodiment, the layout setting section 145 may set a layout to have twelve display regions (e.g., 4×3) or a layout to have twenty-four display regions (e.g., 6×4) in response to the fourth user instruction. Further, the layout setting section 145 may automatically set a layout to have predetermined numbers of display regions.

The processing unit 140 may further include an index setting section 146. The index setting section 146 may be configured to set indices at the respective display regions included in the layout. In one embodiment, the index setting section 146 may set a first index of “0” at a display region DR₅ for displaying a 3-dimensional ultrasound image 3D₃₂₁ corresponding to the first volume slice set by the volume slice region 321 shown in FIG. 8. The index setting section 146 may set second and fourth indices of “−1” to “−3” at display regions DR₃, DR₂ and DR₁ for displaying 3-dimensional ultrasound images 3D₃₂₂, 3D₃₂₃ and 3D₃₂₄ corresponding to the second to fourth volume slices set by the volume slice regions 322-324, respectively. Further, the index setting section 146 may set fifth to seventh indices of “+1” to “+3” at display regions DR₇, DR₈ and DR₉ corresponding to fifth to seventh volume slices set by the volume slice regions 325-327, respectively.

Although the above embodiment has been described that the indices are set at the display regions corresponding to the respective second to seventh volume slices set by the volume slice regions 322-327 with respect to the first volume slice region 321, the setting of the indices may not be limited thereto. In one embodiment, the index setting section 146 may set a first index of “0” at the display region DR3 for displaying the 3-dimensional ultrasound image 3D₃₂₂ corresponding to the second volume slice 322. In such a case, the index setting section 146 may set second to seventh indices of “1” to “6” at the display regions DR₂, DR₁, DR₅, DR₇, DR₈ and DR₉ corresponding to the volume slices set by the volume slice regions 323, 324, 321, 325, 326 and 327, respectively.

Although the above embodiments have been described that the indices are set by using the numerical values, the setting of the indices may not be limited thereto. In one embodiment, the indices may be set by different colors for the respective display regions.

The processing unit 140 may further include an OH forming section 147. The OH forming section 147 may be configured to form an OH view 410, which may 3-dimensionally indicate entire contours of the volume data and the reference plane therein, as illustrated in FIG. 8.

The processing unit 140 may further include an image processing section 148. The image processing section 148 may arrange the reference plane with the ROI set, the OH view 410 and the plurality of 3-dimensional ultrasound images 3D₃₂₁-3D₃₂₇, the plurality of volume slices at the display regions included in the layout set in the layout setting section 145, as illustrated in FIG. 8. The image processing section 148 may further apply the indices to the respective display regions according to the indices set in the index setting section 146. The image processing section 148 may also control whether or not to indicate the reference plane and the OH view in the display regions in response to the fifth user instruction. The image processing section 148 may further form position information of the plurality of volume slice regions set on the reference plane image to thereby indicate the position information on the display region included in the layout.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the ultrasound system 100 may further include a display unit to display the layout containing the 3-dimensional ultrasound images, the reference plane image and the OH view. The ultrasound system 100 may further include a control unit 160. The control unit 160 may be configured to control the operations of entire elements included in the ultrasound system 100. In one embodiment, the control unit 160 may control the transmission and reception of the ultrasound signals. The control unit 160 may further control the formation and the display of the 3-dimensional ultrasound images.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, numerous variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An ultrasound system, comprising: an ultrasound probe including a plurality of transducer elements and configured to receive ultrasound echo signals reflected from a target object to acquire ultrasound data; and a processor configured to: form volume data by using the ultrasound data; set a plurality of volume slice regions respectively representing a plurality of rendering ranges of different widths in the volume data on a reference plane image to obtain a plurality of volume slices having different widths; and perform a 3-dimensional ultrasound image rendering according to the plurality of rendering ranges of different widths to form a plurality of 3-dimensional ultrasound images respectively corresponding to the plurality of volume slices having the different widths; and a display configured to display the plurality of 3-dimensional ultrasound images.
 2. The ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the display is further configured to display the reference plane image and position information of the plurality of volume slice regions set on the reference plane image.
 3. The ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the display is further configured to display an OH view 3-dimensionally indicating entire contours of the volume data and the reference plane image set in the OH view.
 4. The ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to set a plurality of volume slice regions respectively representing a plurality of rendering ranges of different depths in the volume data on a reference plane image to obtain a plurality of volume slices having different depths.
 5. The ultrasound system of claim 1, further comprising: a user input device configured to receive a user instruction for setting a plurality of volume slice regions. 